Found a great directory for public safety links

I found this site, Online Business Directory, in my search for building links and this is one of the few places that has a good selection of categories for Emergency Vehicle Equipment. So this is my reciprocal link back as a way of saying thanks.

  ¶ 8:56 AM  

  Found some interesting links to Project Responder I was looking through google's webmaster tools reports and found some interesting links to the Project Responder website.

Several came from looksmart:
Chicago
Detroit
New York
Los Angeles
Atlanta
Indianapolis
Denver
St. Louis
Portland
Orlando

I just thought it was pretty interesting that Looksmart listed Project Responder in all of these directories.

Just thought I'd share that little tidbit of information.  ¶ 9:59 AM  

  Digital Dash from G-NET Canada I was surfing the net, looking for a backup camera for Project Responder when I came across a website that had the camera, but more importantly, it had everything a person could want for mobile computing. G-NET has a program called Digital Dash which is basically a control center for the main functions a person would use in a mobile computing environment. The interface provides eight large buttons and five smaller buttons which make using a small 7" touchscreen much easier when you're driving. The buttons can control built in functions or they can be configured like macros, to execute any other windows program you choose.

It's designed to run on windows xp and it's only $49. I ended up getting a copy for the truck to use with the itronix gobook computer so that using the pc while on the go will be a much safer and easier way to go.  ¶ 2:23 PM  

  Making a 'music video'

With the engine troubles finally over (see the PR blog), I'm concentrating on the detail work that I should have been able to get done in the spring. I've found a videographer locally who is willing to put a video production together for Project Responder without charging and arm and a leg. So the goal is to finish getting the truck detailed so we can take it out for a photo shoot within the next few weeks. We are going to shoot with two or three cameras from different angles while making several passes in order to get a boat load of raw footage with which to edit. The edited piece will be set to some high energy music and will be used at the shows and on the Project Responder website. I hope to have the final video online by the end of the year depending on weather and scheduling.

  ¶ 7:42 AM  

  Beating the heat I had no idea it had been so long since I last spent some time updating this blog. I guess that comes from being kinda lazy and procrastinating. Anyway, the summer has reached the ½ way mark and the truck still hasn't seen diddly for action this year. Having to tear down the engine and have the heads rebuilt was a major pain in the neck. That set the show schedule back several months. The heat has been so oppressive that it has made working on the truck very difficult and downright undesirable.

The good news is that that engine is finally in tip top shape and all that remains is to replace the fuel pump. After that, we're taking the truck to Golconda Il for the Squads & Rods car show as well as the Sparta Emergency Vehicle Show. The holy grail will be attending SEMA this year. This has been the main goal ever since this project was started.

The other really cool news is that we're getting a new skid unit from RKO Enterprises. This new unit will consist of a UPF poly tank with a 200 gallon capacity as well as foam and an under unit storage system. We'll be heading out to Indiana in a couple of weeks to pick it up.

That's all for now. Thanks to global warming, this summer has been one for the record books.  ¶ 8:22 AM  

  Google Analytics = Misserable Failure (at least for now) I just found a quote from Google regarding the new Analytics, "The Google Analytics service has been completely restored and full service is available to everyone."

My first reaction is WTF??!! I have a great deal of respect for Google but seriously, who do they think they are fooling? Everybody and their brother knows that Analytics is in critical condition. How can they not expect the demand for this that they received? Are eggheads that insulated from the real world that they would not anticipate the desire for such a service? What I do know is that it does not work. Plain and simple.

I'm looking forward to the time when it does work as advertised. It will be a great tool for small websites (like this blog) that cannot justify the expense or hassle of a full blown log file reporting program. So Google, if you're listening, we know it's not "completely restored" and that service is NOT available to everyone. Throw us a bone and let us know when we can REALISTICALLY expect to be able to actually use this cool service.  ¶ 6:21 AM  

  Visting firehouses around the country It's hard to believe it's been so long since this blog was updated. Anyway, the truck just recently returned from a show in Indianapolis. It was a fire truck and apparatus muster which was a great show. On the way back, Project Responder started a new program of taking photos of the local firehouses in the towns the truck visits along it's travels. The Posey volunteer fire department and the Greenup volunteer fire department were the first two towns visited by Project Responder and the warm welcomes from both towns were very enjoyable. We had a great time just shooting the breeze and swapping stories. These towns may be small, but the men and women that give thier time for the community deserve our daily thanks.

Check out the photos at Project Responders Firehouse Visits.  ¶ 2:43 PM